A Visit to Phantomhive Manor
by Kh-hp-Disneylover809
Summary: Based off the OVA, a friend of Lizzie's is brought to the Phantomhive manor and there she meets all of the ones Lizzie holds dear. In the midst of all the insanity and lies, love will find a way! Surprise twist at the end! ?/OC! Rated for language, violence, and mild sexual undertones!


A Visit to the Phantomhive Manor

_**A/N: This is based off of the OVA with the same name. I'm using an OC for the girl and she'll have dialogue in this (unlike the girl in the OVA). She seem a bit Sue-ish but this is based off the OVA so keep that in mind. Sebastian/OC, one-sided Soma/OC and one-sided Druitt/OC! **_

I couldn't help but stare out the window of the carriage as it pulled into the well-kept porch of a lovely mansion. My breath escaped me and I found it hard to breathe when I saw the manor. It was the color of steel clouds and the yard was spick and span. I had never been to a place so beautiful in my entire life and it felt like a hot air balloon deflated in my throat. My own childhood home had been a third size of this beautiful home.

Suddenly, Elizabeth, a sweet girl I met at a ball a few weeks back, spoke to me gently. "Here we are, dear," she said kindly, smiling as we got closer to the manor. "This is the Phantomhive Manor."

When I turned to gaze at the sweet blonde, she gave me a big smile and a cute giggle. I couldn't help but smile back because this girl was like a little sister to me. I had never been so close to anyone before because of my job. Before I could mull over my assignment, the horses let out a whinny and the carriage pulled to a sudden stop. I grew a bit alarmed because it was so quiet. Was it always this quiet at this manor? If so, it must have been boring.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused me to start in surprise and I looked to the window to see the most beautiful creature in the world. He was a tall, dark man who wore a pressed black suit. His skin was the color of snow and his eyes were crimson like a rose. He had a lovely polite smile on his full lips as he pulled open the carriage door with a gloved hand. Lizzie stood from her seat and smiled at the man widely in a form of recognition.

"Who is he, Lizzie?" I asked finally, staring at him warily.

Before she could respond, the man held a hand out and spoke to her. "It's always a pleasure to see you, milady," he greeted her in a husky yet clipped British accent.

"Thank you, Sebastian," she replied, giving him a sweet smile as she walked out of the carriage.

From outside, I heard her cute voice squeal "Ciel! Ciel! CIEL!" and I couldn't help but smile. Judging from what she told me, we were visiting her fiancé's home and she was happy to see him. Suddenly, the man turned to me and he smiled at me graciously.

"We've been expecting you, Miss," he said in a form of greeting, offering his hand to me.

To take or not to take? That was the question. Swallowing my nerves, I forced a smile and placed my gloved hand in Sebastian's. As I walked out of the carriage, I nearly tripped over my own feet but he was quick in catching me by the arm. His grip was very firm but it didn't hurt me one bit. A flush of embarrassment suffused my skin and I felt like dying because how humiliated I was.

"I'm so sorry, sir," I said apologetically, giving Sebastian a sorry look. "I was never good at getting out of carriages…"

"Think nothing of it, milady," he interrupted, shaking his head slowly. "It is my honor to serve you." Then, he inclined his head as if he was bowing to me.

Once my feet were steady, I noticed a boy with inky black hair with an eye patch over his right eye and a slight smile on his delicate features. No doubt about it, this was Lizzie's fiancé, Ciel Phantomhive.

"Here he is, dear," she said, gesturing to him with a hand. "Presenting Ciel Earl Phantomhive. Ciel," she now spoke to the boy, who stared at her with interest, "this is the new friend I mentioned to you in my letter. We met at a ball last month and I took an instant liking to her and I felt you'd adore her as much as I do. I could not wait to introduce you so I brought her along this afternoon." She smiled at him happily.

"What is an earl to do with you?" he asked her rhetorically, sounding amused all the same.

Smiling, he approached me and regarded me with hospitality. "Welcome to my estate, Miss," he greeted me kindly. "I'm Ciel Phantomhive, the head of the Phantomhive household. I hope you will find tonight's ball an enjoyable experience."

"Thank you, Mister Ciel," I replied politely, giving him a slight curtsey. "I am Jennifer Martin. My friends call me Jenny, though. It is an honor to meet you, sir."

It felt a bit silly calling a boy younger than me "sir" but he had that air to him. I felt like I had to respect him.

He gave me a smile before turning to Sebastian firmly. "Sebastian" he said firmly, "see that she has everything she needs."

"Certainly, my lord," he said respectfully, turning to me. "Pleased to make you acquaintance, Miss Jennifer. Sebastian Michaelis, butler to the Phantomhives, at your service. We pride ourselves on hospitality. We shall offer every comfort. Now, welcome to the Phantomhive Manor."

As he spoke, the elder man at the top of the stairs opened the doors to the manor and I felt hypnotized by the beauty and grace of it all.

"Thank you, Sebastian," I remarked, giving him a little curtsey as well.

"You are welcome, milady," he said, placing a hand over his chest. "Shall we?" He offered me his arm with a polite smile.

Nodding, I smiled and slid my hand into the crook of his arm. As I was led up the stairs, I gave the elder gentleman a smile and allowed Sebastian to take me in. Finally, I was here—at the Phantomhive Manor.

…

When we entered the guest room, I noticed a various bunch of knick-knacks lined on the dressers, along with a few portraits of a man and a woman. The room itself was beautiful and the four-poster bed looked so delightfully inviting that I wanted to take a nap immediately.

"We have prepared this guest room for you," explained Sebastian, giving me a soft smile.

I gestured to him and his lips pursed with confusion. "Thank you very much, Sebastian," I said politely, feeling a bit bashful. "It's lovely."

"Lovely, you say," he repeated, crimson eyes glowing with gentleness. "Thank you." Then, he gave me a wide smile. "I am so pleased."

The tone of his voice made me flush but I shrugged it off and walked into the room. As I passed Sebastian, I gave him a nod and slowly took in all the room had to offer. It was a lovely room, indeed, and I felt very appreciative. No one had ever given me such hospitality.

"Over the generations, the Phantomhives furnished this room with the finest quality historic pieces," he explained with pride. "You will find that everything is suitable for a gentlewoman, so please, do make yourself at home."

My gaze fixated on the black-and-white pictures perched atop the mantle and I stared at the people in them. In most of them were two people-a handsome man and a beautiful woman-and I realized those were probably Ciel's parents.

"I see," said Sebastian, coming up from behind me. "You're admiring the photographs on the mantle. That is the previous Earl, Vincent Phantomhive, and his lovely wife, Rachel."

"Who were they, Sebastian?" I asked, giving the man a curious look.

"From what I understand," he continued, staring at the photographs, "they were prominent figures, much loved by the entire community, and devoted themselves passionately to worthy civil causes in aiding the poor, improving medical care, and infrastructure. The Queen placed a great deal of trust in them. You might want to ask my master further details at tea this afternoon. For now, please make yourself…" A loud bang cut Sebastian off and we both exchanged a wide-eyed look.

"What was that?" I asked, looking around warily.

"If you'll please wait here," he said calmly, touching my arm gently. "There's a matter I must attend to." Then he turned on his heel and walked out of the room briskly.

After he left, I sat down on the bed and let my feet dangle off the mattress. A loud sigh escaped my mouth and I felt so bored. There was nothing to do in the guest room. No books to read, no cards to play with, no one to talk to. Ignoring Sebastian's orders, I stood up and walked out of the room to explore—mostly to find out where that loud bang came from.

…

I walked along white-and-green corridor and of all the closed doors there was one open near the end of the hall. The sound of Sebastian's voice attracted me to the open door and I heard him talking to someone in exasperation. It was rude to eavesdrop but I wanted to know who he was talking to.

"I can't say I'm not surprised," he sighed, and I could imagine him shaking his head.

"It's this bloody new burner we got," I heard another male voice complain loudly. "Blasted thing won't work!"

Suddenly, his head snapped to attention and he turned to look at me. I felt my stomach drop to my feet and my heart rate began climbing. A sheepish smile graced my lips and I felt like a kid whose parents found trying to steal from the cookie jar. Sebastian's red eyes locked to mine anxiously and he shook his head slightly.

"Please, Miss Jenny, stay back!" he ordered firmly, dashing at me.

Before I could move, his body, nice and strong, collided with mine and he pushed me to the ground just as another explosion went off. Three loud screams came from the kitchen and I landed on my back. The impact knocked the wind out of me and it didn't help that Sebastian's larger body was over mine. I saw a flare over his shoulder and gasped at the sight of it. What the hell was going on the kitchen?

"S-Sebastian…" I gasped, trying to push his body off of mine. "I can't breathe…"

"Sorry, milady," he said calmly, getting off of me. "I must offer my deepest apologies. Are you injured?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you," I replied, taking deep, slow breaths to slow my racing heart. "That did scare me, though. Thanks for getting me out of the way."

He gave me a nod and offered me his hand. I took it and pushed myself off the ground so I was sitting upstraight. Feeling a bit fatigued, I let myself lean against Sebastian's body and he kept a dutiful hand on my back to steady me.

"That was a close shave," said the man who complained about the burner as he walked out to face us. He was tall, covered in soot, and his hair was puffy like a wig. "We came near to starting a bloody great fire in there."

I heard a female growl and a woman in dark dress and pinafore glowered at the man angrily. She, too, was covered in soot. "You _did _start a fire!" she growled furiously.

Another man, younger than the other and also covered in soot, came out and gave me a concerned look. "Are you alright?" he asked me in a higher pitched voice. "Sorry, Sebastian. Hello," he now spoke to me, "who is this?"

"Miss," said Sebastian, standing and offering me his hand.

I took his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet. "Thanks," I said in a strained took, shaking my head to clear the daze.

"Our visitor is a friend of the Lady Elizabeth," explained Sebastian, giving the servants a cool look. "Her name is Miss Jennifer Martin, and she will be an esteemed guest at this evening's ball."

"Oh my!" gasped the younger man, giving me a wide-eyed look. "How lovely!"

"It's always exciting to have a fancy new guest!" squealed the maid, giving me a wide smile.

"And she's a right pretty little thing, innit she?" marveled the taller man, giving me a smile.

"Thank you," I gasped bashfully, looking down a bit. "It's very nice to meet you all."

"This is Bardroy, our cook," said Sebastian, introducing the three one by one, "Meirin, our maid," he pointed to the woman in the dress, "and Finny, our gardener." He nodded to the shorter man, who bowed slightly. "If you'll excuse us, I must take Miss Jennifer back to her room." With that, he took my hand and led me out of the corridor.

…

Once the door to my bedroom was closed, Sebastian turned to look at me and I felt butterflies in my stomach. He wasn't smiling so I felt ashamed for intruding in the manor. I couldn't help being curious because I had never been in a manor so…big but I knew that didn't account for my snooping. I bowed my head so I wouldn't have to see his reprove.

"I'm terribly sorry you had to witness that scene," he said softly, giving me a grave look, "even more so that you were exposed to danger. I can't possibly apologize enough."

I shook my head. "No, it's not your fault, Sebastian," I amended timidly.

"Thank you," he replied, nodding a bit. "However, I do recall requesting that you wait for me here."

The crushing feeling of guilt filled my body and I bowed my head once more. "I'm sorry, Sebastian," I whispered shamefully, feeling heat fill my ears.

"Every household has its secrets," he continued briskly, giving me a firm look. "There are certain places not meant to be seen by visitors."

I couldn't bear to look at him so I stared at my feet in shame and closed my eyes tightly.

"Strolling uninvited in someone else's manor strikes me as quite inconsiderate," he remarked, making me feel more ashamed than I did already.

I opened my eyes and stepped back a few paces to show submission. "I…" I stammered quietly, "I just wanted to see the rest of the manor. I've never seen such a beautiful home before. I'm sorry for my rudeness, Sebastian."

He gave me a wry smile. "I certainly understand the curiosity of the young," he said calmly, giving me a gentle look.

We weren't so distant in age so how could he call me a child? Instead of showing my anger towards that, I gave him a cautious look and shifted on my feet a bit. Once again, I motioned him to come closer and he bent forward a bit.

"If you don't mind," I whispered nervously, "I would like a tour of the manor. I've…never been to such a big house before."

"Ah, I see it's your first time in a large estate," he said in understanding, "and your inquisitive nature got the best of you." He seemed to be teasing me now, judging by the smirk on his face. "Rather similar to an innocent puppy who knows no fear." Then, he checked his pocket watch and smiled. "We still have a little time before tea. I would be honored to show you around the manor. It can dissuade your curiosity."

"Yes, please!" I replied excitedly, bouncing up to him a bit.

Placing a hand over his chest, he smiled and touched my shoulder gently. "With your permission, I shall be your escort for a guided tour," he said kindly, offering me his hand. "May I take your hand?"

Flushing a bit, I nodded. "Sure," I answered, placing my hand in his.

Our eyes met and I felt my pulse accelerate. What was this feeling, and more importantly, why was he encouraging it? Instead of asking those questions, I allowed him to lead me out of the room.

…

Sebastian pulled us to a stop and he opened the door to one room. The room was full of entertaining items like a billiard table and decks of cards. He placed a hand on my waist and politely aided me forward so I could see all that the room had to offer.

"This is the entertainment room," he explained, smiling at my wide-eyed wonder. "A full array of games such as this billiard table along with toys designed by the Funtom Company is heartily provided for the utmost entertainment of our guests."

The sight of the stuffed animals made me smile because it reminded me when I was a kid. Despite being a lord who acted above his years, Ciel still had a child's touch to some things. Even though he was a formidable lord, he was still a child who needed care. I felt sorry for the kid because his parents were gone and he really didn't have any other family member to take care of him.

Suddenly, my gaze shifted over to the corner and I saw an Asian man and woman playing a card game. They were so quiet that I didn't even see them but I wasn't surprised to see someone in there. The room was full of entertaining toys to play with.

The man in the blue kimono set his cards down and stood up and the woman just looked over her shoulder at me. They didn't look threatening but they didn't look friendly either.

"Oh," said the man, walking over to me, "we have a guest. This is a cramped little place, but please make yourself comfortable. This entertainment room is a full array of games such as this billiard table along with toys designed by the Funtom Company all for the utmost entertainment for our guests. Please make yourself at home."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Asian woman taking a peek under the man's hand of cards but I said nothing. It was honestly very funny. Next to me, Sebastian looked a little annoyed that this man took the dialogue out of his mouth.

"Thank you very much for your kind explanation," said Sebastian testily, "although you repeated mine word for word." Then he turned to me and smiled. "Milady, this is Mr. Lau, England Branch Manager of Kunlun, a Chinese trading company."

"Hello, Mr. Lau," I greeted him politely with a bob of a curtsey, "it's very nice to meet you."

"Mr. Lau, this is Miss Jennifer Martin, a very close friend of Lady Elizabeth," continued Sebastian, looking to the Asian man once more.

Suddenly, Mr. Lau leaned towards me and whispered in my ear. "You had better watch out. This mansion is full of dangerous beasts. Make sure they do not eat you." Even though it sounded like he was teasing me, I felt a shudder rip through my body. He wasn't serious, was he?

Before he could continue, Sebastian frowned, took my hand, and led me out of the room briskly. I silently thanked him for it because Lau was scaring the crap out of me.

…

The butler led me to another room and he opened the door. In the room was a library full of books beyond my imagination. There were books everywhere and I had to bite my lip to stifle an excited squeal. I loved reading and this library was full of many lovely books. Sebastian seemed to sense my excitement because he led me into the room and smiled.

"This is the library the Phantomhives are proud of," he explained, gesturing to the shelves of books.

"Wow…" I gasped, staring at the many shelves and sitting places with wonder. "It's so beautiful."

"As the heads of households have always enjoyed reading," continued Sebastian, smiling proudly, "we amassed an impressive collection that rivals that of Oxford, and…" A paper airplane came out of nowhere and poked Sebastian in the forehead, causing the man to break off.

I would have laughed but the furious expression on his face prevented me in doing so. Feeling the palpable anger from him, I stepped back a few paces and bit my bottom lip to bite back a chuckle.

"Oh, perfect timing!" shouted an Indian boy, prancing up to Sebastian harmlessly. "I was getting bored…"

"Prince Soma," said another Indian man, walking up to the boy, "we are in the middle of your lessons."

"Agni," whined Soma, jutting his lower lip out, "anyone needs a break once in a while."

Sebastian arched an eyebrow in amusement. "You do not quite appear to be studying," he said briskly.

I looked down and noticed that Soma ripped a page out of the book he was reading. I snorted a chuckle and covered my mouth with my hands to stifle the sound. That caused both men to stare at me curiously but they were smiling at me warmly.

"Today," announced Sebastian, gesturing me forward, "we have invited an acquaintance of Lady Elizabeth for a tea party and the ball. This is Miss Jennifer Martin."

Agni gave me a slight smile and a polite look. "Then, is she…?" he began to ask but he couldn't finish the question.

"Milady," said Sebastian, smiling at me gently, "these are acquaintances of the Young Master, the 26th prince of the Bengal presidency, Prince Soma Asman Kadar and his butler, Agni."

The purple-haired prince's eyes glowed and his cheeks flooded with a bright pink flush. Uh-oh, I knew that look. It was the same look that Elizabeth had when she talked about Ciel…

The Indian butler placed his palms together and bowed his head respectfully.

"Namaste-ji," he greeted me in his own tongue.

"Um, Namaste-ji to you too," I replied, nodding to him, feeling like a total fool for trying to sound Indian.

"Prince Soma, this is Miss Jennifer Martin," said Sebastian, nodding to me politely.

"She's so pretty…" he gasped, staring at me intently.

I felt a blush fill my cheeks and I smiled sheepishly under his glowing gaze. Good God, I felt so embarrassed right now…

"Excuse me?" said Agni, opening his eyes to look at the excited prince.

"I-I'm Soma Asman Kadar," he stammered cutely, eyes fixed on me. Then, he walked up to me so we were only a few feet apart. "I like you! Would you be my attendant?"

I chuckled slightly and twiddled my fingers nervously. "Um, Prince Soma, I'm…" I didn't get to finish because he continued talking.

Then, he stepped back a bit and tried to look away from me. "O-or, if you like, m-my c-consort…" he began stammering again, looking embarrassed once more.

I chuckled again and bowed my head slightly. It didn't help that Agni was staring at us with unbridled joy.

"Prince Soma," he gasped proudly, "you finally, finally found your destined love!" Oh, dear, he was crying! "Your happiness is my happiness! May Kali bless and keep the two of you!"

Wait a minute, who was Kali? Was that their name for God or something? Instead of asking, I stared at them with a funny look on my face.

Soma's eyes welled up with tears and he smiled happily. "Agni!" he wept, throwing himself into Agni's arms.

The two hugged like brothers as they were crying together and I felt like I was intruding on a private moment. Someone, help me out here! I was not ready to marry someone I didn't even know yet, much less royalty!

"Don't trouble her, you two," ordered Sebastian firmly, disregarding their tears, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "If you wish to propose to her," he now spoke to Soma, "please do so formally later."

The two broke the hug and stared at me with wide eyes. I felt like dying on the spot because I was so embarrassed. Why oh why was I being so embarrassed? I knew I was pretty, but come on, that many people couldn't be that attracted to me, could they? What did they like about me? I wasn't that appealing, was I?

The sound of Sebastian opening his pocket watch snapped me out of my thoughts. "It's almost tea time," he said kindly, turning to me. "Why don't we get going, Milady?"

Before I could go anywhere or reply, Soma threw his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my cheek in farewell. I didn't know whether to respond or not, so I did what was natural, and hugged him back tentatively. I wasn't used to people throwing their arms around me like this but it was very funny. I was sure that Sebastian was actually entertained by Soma's open affection. When I looked over at the butler, however, he was frowning like how he did when he found out I followed him to the kitchen. What was his problem?

…

Later, I met with Elizabeth, Ciel, Soma, and Lau in the garden and we all sat at a table with snacks and teacups. Sebastian lifted my cup up and poured warm brown liquid into the cup.

"The tea today is Nilgiri," he explained, smiling politely, "a mix of refreshing scent and intense aroma."

"Nilgiri, is it?" asked Soma, smiling widely at the name. "This scent brings back memories."

"It means 'blue mountain', correct?" asked Lau, gazing at the liquid curiously. "This tea is pretty expensive."

Disregarding Lau's comment, Sebastian went ahead and described the snack. "The snack today is Dundee cake," he said, gesturing to the cakes. "The dried fruits were stirred into the dough soaked in rum, and the cake was topped with roasted almonds."

"That sounds delicious!" squealed Elizabeth, lifting her cup the same time I did.

The cup was a bit heavy, even for me, but the tea smelled very nice and inviting. Unsmiling, Ciel took a bite of the cake and nodded approvingly.

"Not bad," he murmured almost to himself.

"Thank you very much," replied Sebastian respectfully, smiling fondly at his young master.

I saw him frowning at me when I didn't take a sip of the drink but I wasn't all that thirsty.

"Do you like that teacup?" he asked me gently, causing me to look up at him.

"Wait, isn't that…" Lizzie started to ask, but Sebastian finished the sentence for her, "It is the Viennese Rose. The blooming rose pattern on the cup should promote your charm."

"Is it an authentic one?" asked Lizzie curiously, gazing at Sebastian.

"Yes," replied Ciel, not looking at the cup. "It is the very ceremonial porcelain that Empress Maria Theresia is known to have adored."

"Your collection is as impressive as always, Earl," commented Lau, giving Ciel a patronizing smile. "I cannot begin to imagine how much it would cost."

I felt a trill of irritation towards Lau because he was getting on my nerves. Of all the things he had to comment on, he decided to talk about how expensive the cups were? Lord, why did this man only talk about money?

Shrugging, I began to place the cup on the saucer but my shaking hand got the best of me and all the contents poured onto my dress. It was incredibly hot and I let out a sound of surprise at the feel of the liquid on my skirt. Oh God, how embarrassing! How could I pour tea on my skirt in front of all these people? God Almighty, strike me dead where I sit!

"Miss Jenny!" gasped Lizzie as I stood to my feet.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized, feeling like an idiot. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble…" Tears of humiliation welled up in my eyes when I saw the tea staining the white tablecloth.

"Oh my, a problem…" murmured Sebastian, staring at the problem at hand.

"It would surely become a serious matter if the cup had been cracked," commented Lau, making my dislike grow for him more.

"Oh shut up," I hissed in a hassled tone. "Mind your own business."

Lau merely shrugged and continued sipping his tea as if I didn't say a word. What an ass…

"Sebastian," said Ciel firmly, "treat her and bring her a clean set of clothes. Bring her the clothes in the dress room."

I saw Sebastian give the boy a look of slight shock. "But Young Master," he protested quietly, "that dress is…"

The boy shook his head in disregard. "I do not mind it," he replied carelessly.

"Understood," said Sebastian with a nod. Then, he bent down to me. "Please excuse me, Miss Jennifer."

I let out a shocked gasp as he scooped me up, bridal style, and resumed to carry me back to the manor.

…

Once we were in my room, Sebastian went to the wardrobe and pulled out a beautiful periwinkle dress. He looked a little disturbed with what he would have to do to get me in the dress. I wanted to tell him I could dress myself but then again I probably couldn't because of the damned corset I was wearing.

"In principle," said Sebastian politely, pulling on a blindfold, "someone like I would not be allowed to see your skin let alone touch it, but the situation demands expediency." Then, he placed his hands on the sleeves of my pink gown.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked, feeling a bit concerned for him. How would he be able to tell what to do?

Without responding, Sebastian jerked his arms above his head and pulled my dress off swiftly. It was impressive that he could do that blindfolded. I stood by the mirror, resisting the urge to cover myself, and warmed my hands from the draft in the room. Suddenly, I saw Sebastian pick up the dress and he approached me slowly as if not to frighten me.

"Then please excuse me," he said, pulling the dress onto me.

…

After he laced the ties and tied the ribbon, he took off his blindfold and smiled at me. "It fits you perfectly, Miss Jennifer," he said, appraising me with gentle eyes.

The dress was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was an off the shoulder periwinkle dress with delicate lace and linen with a brooch in the front of the chest area. Sebastian got down on his knees and smoothed the hem of the dress carefully before standing to look at me fully. Then, he undid my hair out of its bun and my chocolate locks cascaded down past my ivory shoulders. He grabbed a brush and began styling my hair again. This time he tied it up in a half-knot and let some of the bottom layers linger past my shoulders.

"Thank you, Sebastian," I said gratefully, smiling at him in the mirror.

"The teacup may have been a bit too heavy for your delicate hand," he responded with a bow. "Please forgive my inconsideration."

"No, it's fine," I replied quickly with a dismissive wave of my hand. "I'm sorry I caused such a mess."

"Think nothing of it, Milady," he said politely. "My master would like to give you this dress if it would not be too much trouble. Please accept it."

I placed my hand on Sebastian's arm to get his attention. "Why are you so dedicated to your duty, Sebastian?" I asked him quietly, giving him a curious look.

"Why, you ask?" he responded with a question. "You are a valued guest. It's the least we can do, Milady." Then he opened his watch again. "Oh, the guests for tonight's ball should be gathering shortly. Please excuse me for a short while. Please stay in the guest room with Lady Elizabeth."

Before he could walk away, I placed my hand on his arm again and stilled his motions. "Hold on a minute," I ordered him softly, causing him to freeze.

"Yes, milady?" he asked, giving me a curious look. "What is it?"

Instead of speaking, I bent forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Sebastian," I said gratefully, giving him a smile.

Sebastian gave me a gentle smile in return and used his thumb to stroke my hand. "You're welcome, Miss Jennifer," he replied softly. "Now if you'll excuse me."

He walked out and left me alone in the guest room to wait for Lizzie. My heart was aflutter and I felt dazed. Surely I wasn't crushing on a butler, was I? It was inappropriate, and not to mention, wrong. He was merely a man dedicated to his duty. Sebastian would never let personal feelings get in the way of his job, right?

…

"Welcome to the Phantomhives," said Ciel politely, greeting some well-dressed people.

Suddenly, a man dressed like Sherlock Holmes ran up to the boy and began to speak to him urgently. "Sorry to disturb you on a busy day," he apologized politely.

"Oh, Detective Aberline," said Ciel calmly, nodding to the man. "Why is the Yard here on the day of the ball?"

"Due to the many cases lately in which ladies went missing at a ball, we are here on patrol," replied the man briskly, staring at the boy intently.

"Went missing?" repeated Sebastian, looking genuinely concerned.

"Yes, and only youthful women," elaborated Aberline in a worried tone. "What an unforgivable mongrel! We, the Scotland Yard, will capture the perpetrator without fail, so please cooperate with us!"

Suddenly, it felt hard to breathe so I stepped away from the window and ran off to find a phone. I had to speak to my boss or else I would be in big trouble. I had to talk to him about the mission regarding Ciel and his butler. Looking around, I found an empty dark room with a phone and went in to dial the number of the man I worked for.

Upon answering, he regarded me intently. "You're calling on schedule," he said seriously. "I take it the infiltration was a success."

"Sir," I said quietly, "why don't we just call off the assassination? I don't want to hurt these people. They were so kind to me…"

I heard him laugh at me over the line. "What a simple-minded girl!" he exclaimed. "The young girl actually thought you were a fine lady and invited you to the Phantomhives right away."

"She's simple-minded but she is sweet," I argued, defending Lizzie. "I know my mission…"

"Remember," my boss cut across me rudely, "kill the damn butler and kidnap Ciel Phantomhive at all costs! It's revenge for Azzurro and the Ferro family."

"I just…" I began to say but the man cut across me, "That butler has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, so watch out, although it should be a trivial task for you, the 'Mad Dog of Venice' and an expert hitman."

I loathed that name "Mad Dog of Venice"; it made me seem like a villain. I only did what I was hired to do and that name pissed me off. Instead of replying, I hung up the phone and scowled to myself. I didn't want this mission anymore. Ciel and his butler had been nothing but kind to me and I had to harm them! This was wrong and stupid, but it was my job. With tears rolling down my face, I reached into the bosom of my dress and pulled out a pocket knife. I studied the blade until I heard a voice behind me.

"So you were here," I heard Sebastian say from behind me, causing me to jump in surprise.

I folded the knife up and wiped my eyes of the tears that rolled down my cheeks before turning to look at Sebastian, who smiled at me.

"The ball will begin shortly," he continued, staring at me. "Milady, are you well? You're crying."

"I-I'm fine," I lied, unable to stop my tears. "It's nothing, Sebastian. I just…miss my family. They're not here, so…" I broke down into sobs and buried my face into my hands so he wouldn't be able to see my shame.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and my face came in contact with a firm chest. He felt him rub my back soothingly, shushing me of the tears that rolled down my face. Even though I had to kill him, I felt very comforted by the presence of this man. He was a kind soul, even though I had to…Shaking off the thought, I let myself get comforted by him and shook my worries away.

…

After I recovered myself, I walked back to my room and the door was slightly ajar. As I walked in, I heard Lizzie and her maid talking to each other.

"Tighter…" said Lizzie in a strained voice, "even tighter! Today's a special day, so lace the corset tighter!"

I walked in and saw Lizzie's maid tightening Lizzie's corset to cinch her waist. It made it hard for me to breathe because how tight the corset was. I hated corsets because they were so restrictive and I could faint so easily from them. As soon as Lizzie was lace to her content, I smiled at the two and Elizabeth beamed at me.

"Oh, Miss Jenny!" she squealed in excitement at the sight of my appearance.

Soon, she was dressed in a pink off the shoulder dress that was decorated with linen and lace that resembled the dress that Ciel let me wear but it was a bit shorter in the hem. I couldn't help but smile because she looked like a little doll.

"Look at this dress!" she gasped, glowing like a fairy. "Isn't it very cute?" She spun in a slow circle to demonstrate for me.

"It's very lovely, Lizzie," I replied with a nod of my head. "You look like a little angel."

"Great!" she squealed happily, clasping her hands together. "You also look very cu…Isn't this dress…" Then she gazed at the picture perched on the mantle before looking back at me. "You look great in that dress, so please show it to Ciel at the ball…" She reached out at to me to take my hands but then she swayed and collapsed on the floor.

"Lizzie!" I cried, noting my friend's unconsciousness. "Are you okay!?"

"Milady!" cried Paula, running to check on Lizzie but ultimately falling over too.

My heart rate began to quicken in my chest and I saw some odd purple powder emigrating from the floorboards. I felt myself getting lightheaded but I continued to look around for the source. Something was right there and I had to know what was up. I was going to faint, I knew it, but why?

_"No need to be afraid…" _I heard a velvety male voice from somewhere behind me.

I whirled around to face whoever was there but my legs gave out and my vision blurred. I felt myself falling over but I couldn't catch myself. "Sebastian…" I whimpered, dropping to the ground.

Suddenly, I blacked out and my call was futile.

…

(Third Person POV)

When the damage was done, Lord Aleister Chamber opened the door and walked into the bedroom. He gazed at the unconscious woman on the floor and he noticed how beautiful she was. Her face was so pretty and calm and her form was the most lovely in that periwinkle dress of hers. She looked like an angel in a lavender gown. Aleister smiled at the woman and stooped down to stare at her.

"Ah, even your sleeping visage is lovely," he whispered, placing a hand on her face. "I finally have you in my hands, my cute little song thrush."

…

"She went missing, you say!?" gasped Ciel, standing up from his desk upon hearing the news.

"What should we do?" wept Elizabeth, shaking with tears and sobs.

"Milady…" murmured Paula, hugging her charge close to herself.

Sebastian, sensing Elizabeth's condition, bent towards Paula to whisper to her. "Please attend her to her room," he whispered gently. "I will bring some warm milk later."

"S-sure," replied Paula with a nod. "Now, Milady, let me attend to you."

The maid wrapped her arms around Lizzie and led her out of Ciel's office so the young girl could calm her nerves.

As soon as they were alone, Sebastian walked to stand in front of Ciel's desk and gave the boy a firm look. "Traces of hypnotic drugs have been detected from the room," he informed Ciel softly.

The boy bowed his head in concentration and nodded. "The perpetrator must have put her to sleep and taken her," he guessed accurately, smiling a bit. "A quite daring criminal I must say. He even managed to fool you." It sounded like Ciel was teasing Sebastian but the butler couldn't be sure.

"Many apologies," he apologized, inclining in respect. "I was entertaining the guests in the hall, as ordered."

Ciel let out a hiss of annoyance. "Abduction of a guest," he hissed, "will most certainly blemish the Phantomhives' reputation as the Queen's watchdog." Then, he raised his voice along with his form. "I order you, Sebastian! Retrieve her!"

Like always, Sebastian placed a hand to his chest and inclined slightly. "Yes, my lord," he replied dutifully.

…

Miles away on the open sea in a ship there was a man and a woman in a wheelchair sitting in the parlor. The man was Aleister and the woman in the chair was the unconscious Jennifer. The poor girl was defenseless against the caresses he gave her. He stared at her in a loving manner and stroked her soft cheek gently.

"We are finally alone, my song thrush," he murmured lovingly, stroking her hair. "I have been following you ever since you stole my heart at the ball the other day. What a naughty little songbird—you infatuate me so much!" Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips to her temple. "Relax. No one can come after us. I built this ship just for you, Chirp of the Song Thrush. Let us head to an island in the south! Let us sail away, and it will be just the two of us!"

Suddenly, a voice at the door caused Aleister to start in shock. "If you wish to leave, please do so by yourself." There in the door way stood Sebastian Michaelis smiling in a patronizing way.

"You are…" gasped the man, standing at attention.

"So it was you, Viscount Dru…" started Sebastian but he was broken off by the blond, "I am Venus' messenger, the Masked Viscount!"

Then, Druitt took out a pistol and fired a shot at Sebastian, who deflected it with a spoon. In the arms of the masked man was the unconscious Jennifer and he brandished his gun in threatening manner yet Sebastian refused to back down.

"Let me retrieve the lady from you, Masked Viscount!" shouted Sebastian, starting forward a bit.

"So our love cannot be, after all," said Druitt, sounding sad, pulling out a bottle of poison. "Then…"

"Oh, is that poison?" asked Sebastian, smiling in a bit amusement.

The blond turned to the unconscious woman and spoke to her in an impassioned voice. "My song thrush, let's go to heaven together where no one can pursue us!" Just as he bit open the cork, the door was blasted off its hinges and in the doorway stood a man with long scarlet hair carrying a chainsaw.

"Don't go just yet, DEATH!" exclaimed the Shinigami, making his trademark pose by making the sign language sign for love. "Little Miss Jennifer Martin is scheduled to die tomorrow, so you can't kill her just yet!" He waggled his finger in a teasing way.

"Grelle," said Sebastian dryly, not amused by the entrance of the Shinigami.

The man known as Grelle smiled happily and wriggled like a happy puppy. "Oh, Sebastian!" he squealed, sounding like a happy little girl. He dashed up to the butler and smiled at him. "What a coincidence to see you here!"

In the midst of the distraction, Druitt walked over to an area of the room and opened a panel that showed a switch. When he pulled the lever down, smoke filled the room, clouding the men's vision.

"I won't let anyone interfere with our love!" he shouted loudly as he escaped from the room with the woman in his arms.

Once the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Druitt or Miss Jennifer. Slight anxiety filled Sebastian's form and he looked around quickly.

"Miss Jennifer!" he shouted, gazing around anxiously.

…

Druitt stood on the highest arch of the ship with the woman in his arms and he had her arms out like a bird ready to take flight. He held the woman tightly and placed his mouth to her ear so he could whisper to her tenderly.

"Fear not," he whispered in an almost tender voice. "We're together." He took out a candle of dynamite and waited for it to explode.

Sebastian and Grelle came running out to the arch and watched the Viscount carefully.

"Is he trying to take her with him?" asked Grelle in shock. "What an annoying prick!"

"As we live an impossible love," proclaimed Druitt loudly, "we shall be pronounced man and wife in heaven…as were Tristan and Iseult!" Then, he spoke to her softly. "Let's end this dream and leave, my song thrush." He moved to place a kiss on her lips.

Sebastian had enough of this. "As I already mentioned," he shouted, pulling out a knife and throwing it at the dynamite so the light would burn out, "if you wish to leave, please do so by yourself!"

Druitt dropped the dynamite and hissed in irritation, looking for a way to escape.

Grelle, on the other hand, was enflamed by Sebastian's dedication. "You are turning me on, Sebastian!" he shouted, starting his chainsaw. "I'm so turned on! Check out my scythe; it is spinning like crazy!" In the heat of his passion, Grelle leapt to the arch and sliced across it cleanly.

"I-impossible!" cried Druitt, holding onto the woman as the arch began falling into the ocean.

In a flash, Sebastian was running up the arch and he leapt off to catch Jennifer in his arms. Then, he used Druitt as a rebound platform and landed on the ship. Druitt, however, fell into the ocean water trying to proclaim his love for the woman but failing. He was finally out of their lives…for now.

Sebastian landed on the firm ground of the ship, cradling Jennifer in his arms, while Grelle stood on the broken bow of the ship smirking at his job.

"A mere messenger of Venus can't possibly win against a grim reaper!" proclaimed Grelle in a bluffing way.

…

(Jennifer POV)

The scent of the sea air teased my nostrils and my eyes fluttered open. I saw Sebastian staring at me in concern and a slight smile graced my lips.

"Are you awake, Miss Jennifer?" he asked, looming at me in concern. "I am glad you are unharmed."

"Thanks," I croaked out, smiling a bit.

"Say, Sebastian," cried a new voice, and I drifted my gaze over to the other man with red hair, "didn't I give you a hand!? So please hold me like that too!"

He tried to leap at Sebastian but the butler stepped aside and a long scythe pierced the red-haired man's head. The red head fell over with a scream and another man with dark hair wearing glasses walked up to us. He looked rather hassled like he didn't want to be there.

"Good Heavens!" he groused, adjusting his glasses. "Why do I even have to deal with this?"

"Will!" cried the red head, standing up with blood spilling out of the back of his head.

"Just when are you going to stop dawdling, Grelle Sutcliff?" demanded Will, the man with glasses.

"Yeah, I'd love to cuddle with Sebastian and grapple and struggle!" he squealed, sounding like a girl in love.

I glanced at Sebastian and saw that his right eye was twitching with intense irritation. I bit my lower lip to stifle the giggles that threatened to break through.

"I mean, I'm doing my work all right!" amended Grelle, looking rather pissed off at Will.

Grelle then opened a book and showed it to Will, who bent in to look at it. The two men looked back at me curiously before turning to look at the book again.

"State your name," ordered Will firmly, making me fear for my life.

"My name is Jennifer Martin," I replied quietly, giving him a fearful look.

He closed his eyes and stepped back a few paces to reveal his scythe. Without second thought, he stabbed Grelle in the forehead and shook his head with disapproval.

"What are you doing!?" screamed Grelle, giving Will a sharp look.

"This soul is not scheduled to die in the first place!" reproved Will, shaking his head.

"Sorry?" asked Grelle as if needing to hear that again.

"Look carefully at the name spelling," he groaned in annoyance. "It's different by a letter. You have the wrong person."

Flushing brightly, Grelle closed the book and squeaked in embarrassment. "Oops, my mistake!" he shouted nervously, trying to amend his mistake.

"Good grief," groaned Will, shaking his head again, "working with an imbecile is sure a hassle. Let's go." Then, he fixed his gaze on Sebastian. "If we don't hurry, even the souls we are supposed to collect may be stolen. By a certain demon, that is."

Sebastian's face was full of palpable fury and he glared at Will with hatred. I, for one, was confused. What did demons have to do with Sebastian? Did Will hate Sebastian, or something? Instead of showing his anger, Sebastian forced a grin and spoke to him politely.

"Please take care on your way home," he said politely. "The night sea can be dangerous."

…

Sebastian and I stood by the railing of the ship as Grelle and Will rowed off in a white rowboat with the bespectacled man ordering him to row. Sebastian let out a sigh with a smile on his face and he wrapped an arm around my waist tightly. I smiled at him softly and felt the heat flood in my cheeks when I realized how infatuated I was with him.

"Then let's return to the mansion," he said gently, taking my hand in his like a lover would. "Please keep what you have just seen a little secret." He placed a finger to his lips and smiled at me teasingly.

"I will," I promised with a nod. "Thank you for saving me, Sebastian. I probably would have killed that blond man in his sleep anyways, but you saved me the trouble."

Sebastian let out a bark of laughter before gathering me in a hug. "Oh, you are so charming!" he extolled, holding me tightly.

I returned the hug, feeling safer than I have ever been before.

…

As soon as we returned to Ciel's manor, I was put to bed and given a drink of warm milk. I rested back on the comfy mattress and closed my eyes slowly. When I opened them, I saw Ciel, Elizabeth, Lau, and Soma standing in the room with gentle smiles on their faces. Tears welled up in Elizabeth's green eyes and she smiled widely in relief.

"Jenny, I'm so glad you're all right!" she cried, sounding genuine.

"Lizzie," said Ciel softly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "let her rest a bit."

"Sure," she replied, nodding slowly.

With that, the four left the room and let me rest. As soon as the door shut, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but the sounds of Soma and Lau talking to each other woke me.

"My, my, that was quite a misadventure for her," said Lau, sounding genuinely concerned for my sake.

"Look at how cute she is," remarked Soma, making me smile a bit. "No wonder someone kidnapped her."

Once I heard them walk away, I sat up and made my decision: I had to kidnap Ciel or kill him trying. My face was blank but that didn't stop the tears welling up in my eyes. I felt so horrible for what I was about to do to poor Ciel Phantomhive. Ciel had been nothing but kind to me and I had to kill him. Messed up world, wasn't it? I pushed back the covers and slid my feet into my shoes. Once I was ready, I walked to the door and off to Ciel's office.

…

I quietly slipped open the door to Ciel's study and walked in silently. My heart ached when I saw that he was napping in his chair because he looked just like the young child he no longer acted like. So I would have to see him, I closed my eyes as I pulled out my pocket knife and started forward.

"Please do not wake him," said a soft voice I could only recognize as—

"Sebastian," I gasped, coming to a standstill.

I turned on my heel and saw the said butler with a towel over his arm and a frown on his face. I winced, feeling more ashamed than before.

"The young master had to entertain all the guests himself while I was away," he explained calmly, not making a move to stop me. "It seems he was even wary to conceal what had happened in the mansion. He must have been exhausted." He walked over to the dozing boy and placed the blanket over him. "My apologies, young master."

When he straightened, he stared at me and where I hid the knife. To hide my guilt, I refused to look at him even when he approached me and talked to me.

"Would you like to know how?" he asked, slowly approaching me.

"Sebastian, I—" I couldn't bring myself to continue because my throat tightened up.

"I took the liberty of hearing your conversation over the phone," he explained, staring at me stonily.

"I didn't…" I tried again, but he broke me off once again, "I first noticed the supple build of your body and the strong scent of death emitting from your skin. Indeed, you are an assassin from the Ferro family." His smirk was cold and callous.

I bowed my head a bit in shame and closed my eyes. "Sebastian, I didn't want to kill him…" I murmured shamefully, shaking my head.

"You are one wicked person to infiltrate the Phantomhives by manipulating Lady Elizabeth," scolded Sebastian, getting dangerously close to me.

My body acted on autopilot and my arm moved to stab Sebastian with the knife.

"No wonder you are helpless in a mansion or a tea party," he continued to jibe at me.

"Shut up!" I shouted, stabbing at him angrily.

He caught my wrist in his hand and squeezed the opposing limb tightly, causing me to whimper in pain and drop the knife. "It was well worth giving you a tour of our mansion," he continued without a change in his tone. "Now that you have come here, I can annihilate you with no one noticing."

Tears burned my eyelids and I bit my bottom lip to stop it from jutting out. Where did I go wrong? I only wanted to do a job and get paid, like I always had been. I lived and scraped by with the meager money I got from assassinations. It was either an assassin or a prostitute and I still wanted to maintain my dignity. Being an assassin made me fall from grace but I did what I had to do to get by.

"Do it then," I hissed, challenging him with a dark glare.

He smiled at me in a patronizing way, grabbed me, and spun me so my back was facing his chest. I felt his free arm drift to my neck in a choke-hold but I did nothing to fight back. To be honest, I'd rather die than kill an innocent boy, no matter how handsomely I was being paid.

"Where may you be headed?" he asked in teasing tone, almost making me laugh at his remark.

A boy's voice stopped Sebastian in his tracks. "Sebastian," said Ciel sleepily, waking up.

We both looked back and just remembered that Ciel was still there.

"Was I asleep?" asked Ciel innocently, wiping the sleep out of his only visible eye.

Immediately, Sebastian released me and whirled to face Ciel. "Yes," he replied sweetly, "with your mouth sloppily open."

"Then you should have woken me," said Ciel irritably, shaking his head at his butler. "That was poor taste. Oh, you are…" His gaze fixed on me.

"Miss Jennifer is here to thank you," lied Sebastian, smiling at the boy harmlessly.

"I see," replied the boy, standing to look at me carefully.

Then, he got up from his desk and walked over to me, taking one of my hands in his smaller ones. He looked genuinely guilty for my kidnapping.

"I am truly sorry," he apologized gently. "The poor security of this mansion brought about your misadventure. All blame is in me, the head of household, the Earl of Phantomhive. If you would be so kind as to pardon me, your ball is yet to begin."

He gave my hand a friendly squeeze and smiled at me with the joy of a child. I couldn't help but smile back. It was rare to have calm moments like these so I decided to resort my priorities. No more assassination jobs for me. It was there I decided to quit my job in assassination.

"Thank you," I said softly, giving the boy a soft smile. "Let's go."

The three of us turned and walked out of the office to go party.

…

Ciel and Sebastian led me to a dark room and when we walked in, the lights came on. Everyone was in the hall and they smiled at me in welcome. A smile found its way on my face and a gasp of joy came from me. I had never felt so loved in my life, even if they were strangers.

"Oh my God…" I gasped, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Happy birthday!" squealed Lizzie, giving me a big grin.

"Please welcome tonight's most honored guest!" proclaimed Ciel kindly, smiling at everyone in the room.

Ciel released my hand and let me walk forward on my own. I heard comments on me and the dress I was wearing but I decided not to get fazed by them. What mattered most was that the people I loved were in the same room with me. I walked over to Lizzie and the others and smiled at them with tears in my eyes.

"Jenny, everyone is here to celebrate your birthday," she explained happily, smiling at me cutely.

Sebastian came up from behind me and placed his lips at my ear in a seductive way. "Young master and Lady Elizabeth were preparing in secret," he whispered gently. "A secret party just for you. The birthday you told Lady Elizabeth is probably fake. Nevertheless, today is a special day not only for Lady Elizabeth but for the Phantomhives."

"Sebastian," said Bard, entering the room with a cake the size of the Eifel Tower, "we brought it over."

"Here it is!" squealed Finny, smiling at us brightly.

"Wow, this is one splendid cake!" squealed Lizzie, eyes glowing with excitement.

"We made our every effort for your sake," explained Sebastian, touching my back softly.

"Then, Sebastian, sing us a birthday song," requested Lizzie, gazing at Sebastian with childlike joy.

"I?" asked Sebastian, eyebrows rising with shock. "That would be presumptuous of me."

"A song always follows a birthday cake, doesn't it?" asked Lizzie, not deflated by his refusal. "Do it for Miss Jenny!"

"If you so ask, Lady Elizabeth," he said softly, "I cannot possibly refuse. Very well."

He took a breath and sang in a voice that sounded like an angel's, making me flush with joy.

_It's your birthday, my dear,_

_ Oh but by one more year, _

_ This special day you turn nineteen,_

_ May you live out your dreams._

Everyone applaud Sebastian's performance and I blinked, feeling tears prickle my eyelids. The smile on my face threatened to split my cheeks and I turned to face Sebastian. Before he could say a word, I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head against his chest, eyes closed. Tears spilled from my eyes and I felt happy when I felt his strong hand stroking my back. I had never felt happier in my entire life. It truly was a happy birthday.

…

Later, Sebastian cut me a piece of the cake and walked over to me with a soft grin on my face.

"Miss Jennifer," he said softly, getting my attention, "the wrist of yours I grasped a while ago should still hurt. Let me humbly lend your hand."

He cut a bit of my chocolate cake for me and offered it out to me. "We made this special cake just for you," he responded gently. "Now…say 'Ahh'."

Mimicking his motions, I opened my mouth and allowed him to feed me. It was a little weird because I had never been fed like this before, especially by a man about my age. That was usually things lovers did. We were not lovers, not even close, but I could dream, couldn't I?

"Now," he said once I swallowed the cake, "the dance is starting."

True to his words, everyone was dancing, man and woman, to a beautiful waltz. Lizzie was happily dancing with Ciel, who was…smiling? Lau danced with his friend, Ran, and they both looked really happy. Everyone had a partner and that left me with…

"It seems that only the two of us are left," he remarked, pulling out a pair of spectacles. He pulled them on and gave me a gentle smile. "If I may, let me instruct you on dance steps, as tonight is most likely your first time at a ballroom dancing as well."

I smiled and nodded slightly, taking his proffered hand in mine. "Thank you, Sebastian," I said quietly, glowing like a child.

He pulled me close to himself and placed his other hand on my waist. I placed my hand on his arm and allowed myself to be led by him. As we danced, I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes slightly. I heard his gentle voice at my ears and I smiled contently.

"That's it," he encouraged gently. "Calm down and compose yourself as if you're about to kill a man."

Those words caused my head to fly off his chest and my eyes opened immediately. The smile vanished from my face and I gave Sebastian a sad look.

"Why didn't you kill me earlier?" I asked him dully, causing him to frown too.

He smiled at me again, alleviating my nerves. "My duty as a butler is to facilitate the ball," he answered kindly. "I would rather not, after all the preparation, stain the event with human blood, and my master has ordered me to offer you hospitality."

"I see," I whispered tonelessly with a nod of my head.

"If you return to assassinate the young master," he continued in a seemingly harmless tone, "then I will kill you with no mercy."

I let out a gasp and my eyes widened with fear. "I have no interest in killing your master," I said quietly, resting my head on his chest once more. "Not now, not ever…"

"However," he said gently, running his hands down the column my spine, "if you return a guest, then I will offer you hospitality. Do you understand? If you do, please make a sound like a barking dog."

I gave him a quizzical look but followed suit in barking like a dog in his ear. He gave me a satisfied smile and I flushed again, feeling my heart rate increase with the look in his eyes.

"Very well done," he commented. "Please remember this promise is a secret between us."

As we pirouetted, I bent towards him and asked him a question I had needed to ask him. "Are you an assassin too?" I asked quietly so no one would hear us.

"Am I of the same trade, you ask?" he responded with a question as if to clarify my question. "No, I am nothing of a hitman. I am but one hell of a butler." His smile was infectious and I couldn't help but smile back.

There was a moment of silence between us before I plucked up the courage to speak up again. "So where's my birthday gift?" I asked him teasingly, causing him to chuckle in amusement.

"You'll get it after the ball," he replied, giving me a soft look.

I felt my stomach flutter with anticipation and I couldn't wait. Today truly was the best day ever for me.

…

After the ball ended, Lizzie had fallen asleep and Sebastian ended up carrying her to her carriage. Ciel, Paula, and I followed him to the carriage and I smiled when I heard Lizzie mumbling in her sleep.

"Ciel…Jenny…" she murmured with a smile on her face, looking like a precious child.

Sebastian smiled and placed the sleeping girl in her carriage as Ciel came up to talk to me.

"Lizzie seems to have taken a liking to you," he said gently, giving me a friendly smile. "I am glad to have met you as well. That dress belonged to my late mother, but if you like, please keep it."

"Are you sure?" I asked, eyes widening with shock. "I mean…"

"Keep it, I insist," he ordered, still smiling at me softly. "Consider it a birthday gift."

Before he could protest, I pulled the boy into a warm embrace and smiled. "Thank you, Ciel," I said tenderly, stroking his hair like a mother would. "Thank you for giving me the best birthday a person could have."

"You're welcome," he replied as soon as we broke off the hug. "Have a safe travel, Jennifer. I hope to see you again soon."

Sebastian came out of the carriage and bowed to me. "Miss Jennifer, the carriage is ready," he informed me gently, giving me a big smile.

Before I went to enter the carriage, I walked straight up to Sebastian and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you, Sebastian," I whispered. "You truly are one hell of a butler."

Sebastian ran a hand through my hair and his smile turned seductive. "Here's your birthday gift, my dear," he whispered huskily, capturing my face in his hands.

My heart rate tripled in speed as he bent towards me and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. My initial reaction was shock but I eventually got over it and pressed back passionately. Knowing that I wouldn't see him in a while, I clung to him and kissed back with all I had. The chaste kiss turned into a passionate frenzy but it was the best birthday gift I could have ever asked for. Even though I had to leave, I felt a solace in knowing that I kissed the handsome butler. Once we broke apart to breathe, I saw a satisfied smile on Sebastian's face and he bent in to give me a kiss on the forehead.

"Happy birthday, my dear Jenny," he whispered tenderly, causing shivers to go down my spine. "Please come visit again soon."

"I will," I promised, detaching myself from him. "See you soon, Sebastian." Then, I turned to Ciel, who still had a shocked look on his face. "Good bye, Ciel. It was very nice meeting you."

"And you, Miss Jennifer," he replied almost mechanically as if trying to comprehend what he just saw. "The Phantomhive manor is always open for you if you want to visit."

"Thank you," I said softly, stepping into the carriage.

Once I sat down, I gave the dozing Lizzie a gentle smile but then I noticed Paula giving me a mischievous look.

"Don't even ask," I cut across her before she could even open her mouth.

"Okay," she said quietly, giggling like a little schoolgirl.

I couldn't help it. I began laughing with her.

With a whinny of the horses, we were off into the night.

…

(Third Person POV)

"That was way too much trouble today," groused Ciel, sounding weary.

"My apologies," whispered Sebastian, bowing respectfully to his master.

The boy let out a loud yawn. "I am exhausted," he informed firmly. "Prepare some tea."

"Understood," replied Sebastian, following his master back to the manor.

"By the way," said Ciel curiously, "what was that kiss all about, Sebastian? That's not like you at all."

The butler smiled to himself as he remembered the softness of the girl's lips. "Oh it was nothing, Master," he answered softly. "It was just a little…payment I had to give to her, and seeing it was her birthday…"

"Spare me the details," interrupted Ciel with a wave of his hand. "Let's just go back inside."

"Yes, my lord," said Sebastian like he did many times before.

…

(Jennifer POV)

As soon as Lizzie and Paula were asleep, I pulled out my pocket knife and studied it. It was there I made my decision. With a quick yet silent toss, I threw the knife out, leaving behind the skeletons of my past with it. Now, I decided, it was time for a change. It was all because a boy and his butler that I managed to find my happiness…and I was truly happy. I knew that I had the strength to overcome any obstacle, no matter how big.

The End.

(Many years later…)

"Tell me the story again, Grandmother," requested my granddaughter, giving me a begging look with her wide brown eyes.

I chuckled and shook my head. Here I was, telling my granddaughter the story of how I found my true love and broke free of my past and she asked for me to tell it again…for the umpteenth time. As much as I loved telling her the story, her parents were against me keeping her up in the late hours of the night.

"If I tell you the story again," I teased her gently, "you're going to keep asking me to re-tell you it until the early hours of the morning. Go to sleep, Lizzie love. I love you."

"I love you too, Grandmother," she sighed wearily, snuggling into her mattress contently. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, princess," I whispered, placing a kiss to her cheek before turning the light out.

I stood and walked out of her room. Then, I made a beeline to my room and found my beloved husband there reading by the fire. As soon as I entered, he looked up from his book and gave me a loving smile that captured my heart years ago.

"So what was the story tonight?" he asked, greeting me with a kiss on the cheek.

"Ours," I answered, returning the gesture with a kiss.

My husband let out a chuckle and smiled. "Lizzie loves that story more than any other story," he remarked with a shake of his head. "It really is a good story, huh, Jenny."

"Yes it is, Sebastian," I replied, snuggling against his gentle embrace. "Yes it is."

It truly was a good story because I found my true love and freedom in one day. Ever since Sebastian broke away from the Devil, we now lived a life a peace and all was well…as it would be for now and forevermore.

_**A/N: Long ass oneshot! But please enjoy it! Leave nice comments! No flames! I hope you enjoyed this! Well, it's my early birthday gift to me but I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! :)**_


End file.
